Bioreactor comprising a silicone coating

Abstract

The invention relates to a bioreactor for cultivating phototrophic organisms in an aqueous culture medium. The reactor parts and/or fittings that come into contact with the culture medium are entirely or partially coated with a silicone layer, and the surface of the silicone layer has a contact angle to the water of at least 100°.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A bioreactor for cultivating phototrophic organisms, said bioreactor comprising: (1) an aqueous culture medium of a phototropic organism; and (2) reactor parts that come into contact with the culture medium, said reactor parts comprising a silicone coating layer in contact with the culture medium, wherein the surface of the silicone layer has a contact angle with water of at least 100°, and wherein the surface of the silicone layer largely prevents biofouling on the reactor parts coming into contact with the culture medium during the cultivation of the phototropic organisms. 
     
     
       2. The bioreactor as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the bioreactor is a closed reactor. 
     
     
       3. The bioreactor as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the bioreactor is a plate bioreactor, tubular bioreactor, bubble column bioreactor or hose bioreactor. 
     
     
       4. The bioreactor as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the bioreactor is made of transparent or translucent materials. 
     
     
       5. The bioreactor as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the reactor parts are coated with a transparent or translucent silicone layer. 
     
     
       6. The bioreactor as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the silicone layer contains one or more silicones selected from the group consisting of condensation-crosslinking silicone elastomers, addition-crosslinking silicone elastomers, silicone hybrid polymers, silicone resins and silicone gels. 
     
     
       7. A method for providing a bioreactor with an antifouling coating, wherein the bioreactor comprises reactor parts that contact an aqueous culture medium of a phototropic organism, comprising the step of completely or partially coating the reactor parts that contact the culture medium with a silicone layer, wherein the surface of the silicone layer has a contact angle with water of at least 100°, and wherein the surface of the silicone layer largely prevents biofouling on the reactor parts coming into contact with the culture medium during the cultivation of the phototropic organisms.